Dye package



Feb. l5, 1966 c. J. Russo ETAL 3,234,627 v DYE PACKAGE Filed July 3l,1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l QQ ,0 MQ AIN MQN Feb. 15, 1966 DYE PACKAGE 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 5l, 1962 O ss IR Y .wwf .m w m m mi m f Af. uCWB f United States Patent O 3,234,627 DYE PACKAGE Carl Il. Russo,Newark, and Ewart H. Shattuck, Wilmington, Del., assignors to JosephBancroft & Sons Co., Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware FiledJuly 31, 1962, Ser. No. 213,629 12 Claims. (Cl. 28-21) This inventionrelates to a yarn package suited for processing in standard dyeingequipment and more particularly to a package wherein the yarn Vis packedin .the form of an annular mass in successive helical layers.

An object is to provide a package of the above type having novel andimproved characteristics.

Another object is to provide a yarn package wherein the yarn ismaintained under tensionless conditions during the processing step.

Another object is to provide suitable apparatus for making such a yarnpackage.

Various other objects and advantages will be apparent fas the nature ofthe invention is more fully disclosed.

In accordance with the present invention the yarn is fed by suitablemeans such as by an air nozzle in the form of overlapped turns or coilsinto the annulus between an outer cylindrical can wall and an inner coretube. The can is rotated and advanced axially with respect to the nozzleso as to lay the yarn in a series kof helical layers in Ithe annulus.After filling the can iscovered to retain the yarn and may be placed ina standard vat d-yeing machine wherein Atreating fluid is passed throughthe mass of yarn. Due to the manner is which the yarn is laid in the canit is maintained tensionless and may adjust itself to any degree ofshrinkage without increase in yarn tension. After processing the yarnmay be withdrawn from the package and wound onto a spool or cop in theusual manner.

The nat-ure of the invention will be -better understood from thefollowing description, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings in which a specific embodiment has been set forth for purposesof illustration.

In the drawings:

FIG. l is a side elevation of an apparatus embodying the invention withparts in section;

FIG. 2 is a partial vert-ical section taken on the line 2 2 of FIG. 1but on a larger scale;

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view of the apparatus of FIG. 1, but on alarger scale.

FIG. 4 is a partial horizontal section taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a partial lvertical section, similar to FIG. 3, but `showingthe par-ts in a different position;

FIG. 6 is a partial horizontal section .taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a detail view of lthe cover plate for the yarn package;

FIG. 8 is a partial sectional view of a yarn package embodying theinvention;

FIG. 9 is a detail of the concentric retaining rings as used during therewinding stage; and

FIG. l0 is a partial vertical section taken on line lll-1l) of FIG. 4,but on a larger scale.

Refer-ring to the drawings more. in detail, the apparatus is shown ascomprising a base plate 10 carrying a center post 12 and having adownwardly extending bracket 13 to which is secured` to a motor y14. Themotor 14 has a vertical sha-ft 15 carrying a sprocket 16 which iscoupled by a chain 17 to a larger lsprocket 18 pinned on a shaft 19which is journalled in a boss 20 carried by the base plate 10. A supportdisc 26 has a hub 27 pinned to the shaft 19 and resting on a boss onthe. top of the base plate '10.

Pice

The support disc 26 has an annular recess .28 in which the lowerfbeadededge of an annular can 'wall 29 is seated. An extension wall 30 isformed with a bottom shoulder 31 tting over the top edge of the can wall29. The extension wall 30 carries a series of eyes 32 which are engagedby the top ends of spring hooks 33, the lower end-s of which are adaptedto hook into an annular groove 34 in the under side of the support disc26 for securing the can wall 29 and the extension wall 30 in place onthe disc 26.

EA sleeve 38 is splined onto the `shaft 19 for `axial movement by rollerbearings 39 riding in grooves 40 in the shaft 19 so that `the sleeve 38rotates with the shaft 19 but is slidable axially thereon. The sleefve38has a closed top end 41 which carries Ia swivel hook 42 for the purposeto be described. A core tube 43 carrying a bottom flange 44 lits overthe sleeve 38 and is rotated therewith. The core tube 43 hasperforations 45 and is adapted to forni `the inner core of the package.The bottom .disc 44 has a sliding fit wit-hin the can Wall 29 and isadapted to form the .bottom of the finished package. The can wall 29 hasnperforations 4,6 for ythe passage of treating fluids through thepackage. 'In its lower position the disc 44 rests on the top surface ofthe support ldisc 26-and on the inturned peripheral bead of the can Wall29. The kcore tube 43 lcarries vat its upper end a rin-g 47 having ashoulder 48 on which a core tube extension 49 seats. The core tubevextension 49 is removably mounted over the sleeve 38 with its upper endprojecting slightly above the top of the extension wall 30.

An arm 55 is journalled between thrust bea-rings 56 and 57 carried by a`sleeve 58 which is slidably mounted on the post 12. The sleeve 58carries a rack 59 meshing with a pinion 60 journalled in ears 61 on thepost 12. A crank '62 is connected to turn the pinion `60 for raising andlowering the arm 55. The arm 55 carries a vertical bracket `65 having atits upper end a boss 66 in which is journalled a shaft 67 carrying atone end a feed roll 68 and at its other end a bevel gear 69. Acooperating feed roll 70, shown in FIG. 2, is mounted Ion a shaft '71journalled in a second boss 72 on the bracket 615. A vertical shaft 7'5is journalled in a boss 76 on the arm 55 and carries at its upper end abevel gear 77 meshing with the bevel gear 69. At its lower end the shaftis journalled in a boss 78 carried by the vertical bracket 65. The shaft75 carries a pulley 79 and is co-nnected to the arma- .ture shaft of amotor 80 which is mounted o-n a bracket 81 carried by the bracket 65.

A yarn tube 85 is carried by the arm 55 with its upper end adjacent thebite of the feed rolls 68 and 70 to receive the yar-n therefrom. An Vairtube 86 communicates with the side of the yarn tube 85 in a direction tofeed the yarn downwardly. A rotating feed tube 87 is journalled in aboss 88 on the bracket 65 in registration with the lower end of the yarntube 86. The feed tube 87 carries a pulley 89 driven by a belt 90 fromthe pulley 79. The lower end of the feed tube 87 is curved to form ayarn discharge nozzle 92 extending outwardly at an angle of about 45degrees from the axis of the tube. A split annular cover plate 95 iscarried by a rod 96 from the arm 55. The cover plate 95 lits in theannulus between the core tube extension 49 and the side wall extension30 and extends helically to conform to the pitch of the yarn layers tobe laid in the annulus and to form a vertical `opening 97 between thevertically displaced Ileading and trailing ends of the cover plate 95.The lower trailing end of the helical cover plate is cut away to formngers 99 over which the yarn slides into the opening 97 in the manner tobe described. The rod 96 may be adjusted in the arm 55 for adjusting theheight of the cover plate with respect to the yarn tube 87. A series ofpins 100 is carried by the disc 44 toV grip and distribute the yarn overthe surface of the disc 44 at the beginning of the lling operation.

For space dyeing, the yarn as it is laid in the container, a dye housing130 may be carried by the cover plate 95 at a point in advance of thefingers 99. The housing 130 may be divided by a wall 136 into twocompartments 131 and 132 which communicate with the yarn annulus by aseries of holes 133. Dye may be supplied to the chambers 131 and 132through tubes 134 and 135 respectively, which lead to a source of dye,not shown. The same or diiferent dyes may be supplied to the twochambers depending upon the effect desired.

A cop support 102 is carried by the bracket 65. This support carries acop 103 from.which yarn 104 is fed through eyes 105 to a trumpet 106terminating adjacent the bite of the feed rolls 68 and 70.

The arm 55 extends beyond the post` 12 and carries a boss 107 in which arod 108 is adjustably secured by a set screw 109. The rod 103 carries atits lower end a U-shaped shoe 110 adapted to fit in the annulus betweenthe core tube 49 and the can Wall 30.

A counterweight 115 is hung from a cord 116 which passes over groovedrolls 117 carried by an arm 118 lixed to the post 12. The end of thecord 116 is attached to the swivel hook 42 so that the core tube andassociated parts are held in their upper position by the counterweight115. Y

An air tube 120 is connected to the air tube 86 and to a Valve 121mounted on a bracket 122 carried by the arm 55. An air supply pipe 123is connected to the valve 121.

A cover plate 1725, as shown in FIGS. and 6, is adapted to be placedover the core tube extension 49 after the can has been filled and thehelical cover 95 removed. The cover plate 125 carries a spring clip 126which is adapted to snap into a groove 127 in the ring 47 to form a topclosure for the can as shown in FIG. 8.

In setting up the above apparatus the can wall 29 with the core tube 43and bottom disc 44 therein is placed on the support disc 26, the coretube extension 49 is placed over the sleeve 38 and seated on the coretube 43 and the extension wall 30 is seated over the can wall 29 andsecured by the latches 33. The arm 55 is then turned to bring thehelical cover 95 over the annulus between the can wall and the core tubeand is brought into a position slightly below the top edges of the wallextension and the core tube extension. The cord 116 is then attached tothe swivel hook 42 on the sleeve 38 so that the counter weight 115raises the core tube until the bottom disc 44 with its pins 100 engagesthe under surface of the helical cover 95. The motor 80 is started todrive the feed rolls 68 and 70 and to rotate the feed yarn tube 87 andthe air valve 121 is open to cause the yarn to be fed along the yarntube 85 and to be discharged from the rotating nozzle 92 and laid in theform of a succession of overlapped loops on the fingers 99 of thehelical cover 95. At the same time the motor 14 is started to cause slowrotation of the support disc 26 and of the can parts which are carriedby the support disc. The yarn loops are projected into the opening 97 inthe helical cover 95 and are also carried by the pins 100 through theopening 97 and under the helical cover 95. The pins 100 may of course bereplaced by other types of friction surfaces which would strip the yarnfrom the ngers 99. The layer of yarn thus laid is compacted by thehelical cover 95 as it advances and is progressively depressed by thecontour of the cover to lower the disc 44 against the force of thecounterweight 115. The pressure of the layer of yarn against the helicalplate is adapted to depress the core member and the bottom memberagainst the force of the counterweights for laying the layer of loops inthe form of a helix extending from the top to the bottom of the annularspace.

For space dyeing, dye is supplied through the tubes 134 and 135 to thechambers 131 and 132 and through 4 the holes 133 in the cover plate 95at a rate to impregnate at least the surface layer of yarn. When theyarn package is treated to set the dye a random variation in effect isobtained. This effect is enhanced by supplying different dyes throughthe tube chambers 131 and 132. A uniform effect may be produced bysupplying the dye ata rate to impregnate the yarn uniformly throughoutthe crosssection of the yarn layer. Successive layers of the yarn arelaid in the form of a helix in the annulus until the can is filled andthe bottom disc 44 is brought into contact with the support disc 26. Atthis point automatic stop means may be provided to stop the operation ofthe motors. Such stop means may be controlled, for example, by theposition of the counterweights 115.

At this point the operation is stopped, the arm 55 raised to lift thehelical cover from the can. A cover ring 125 (FIG. -7) is then placedover the yarn, the arm 55 turned to bring the shoe 110 over the plate125 and lowered to depress and compact the yarn until the spring clip126 on the cover plate 125 snaps into the groove 127 in the core tubering 47. The coverplate is thus locked in place to close the package.The shoe is then withdrawn, the core tube extension 49 removed and thelatches 33 released and the wall extension 30 removed to leave the canconsisting of the wall 29, core tube 43, bottom disc 44, and cover platewith the compacted yarn in the annulus therebetween, as shown in FIG. 8.

The yarn package may now be processed in a vat dyeing apparatus ofstandard type adapted to force a treating fluid through the package.During this processing the yarn is in tensionless state and is free toshrink without introducing tension.

After processing the cover plate 125 may be removed and replaced by -apair of concentric rings 137 as shown in FIG. 9 adapted to hold the yarncompacted and to form an annular space therebetween through which theyarn can be removed for rewinding. The concentric rings hold the yarn incompacted state during the withdrawal from the package andprevent theyarn from tangling or knotting as it is withdrawn.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for packaging yarn which comprises a rotatable support disccarrying a central spindle, a sleeve keyed to said spindle for relativeaxial movement while rotating therewith, la peripheral can -wallreleasably held on said suppor-t disc, a core tube carrying a bottommember seated on said sleeve and forming with said peripheral can wallan annular yarn space, a helical cover plate having an opening toreceive yarn disposed v'within said peripheral wall, yieldable meansholding said core tube with its bottom member in raised position withthe bottom member adjacent the underside of said plate, means feedingsaid yarn through said opening onto said bottom member in the form ofoverlapping and advancing coils to form a layer, means for rotating saidbottom member to lay the layer in said annular space, the pressure ofthe layer of yarn against said helical plate being adapted to depresssaid core member and said bottom member against the force of saidyieldable means forlaying said layer in the form of a helix extendingfrom the top to the bottom of said annular space.

2. Apparatus 'as set forth in claim 1 including a cylindrical memberadapted to seat on said peripheral can wall to form an extensionthereof, means clamping said cylindrical member to said support disc andan extension core tube adapted to seat on said rst core tube to formwith said cylindrical member an extension of said annular space.

3. Apparatus for packaging yarn in a container having an annular spaceto receive said yarn, which ycomprises a rotatable support disc carryingsaid container, a vertical post, an arm journalled to turn on said post,a rotatable 'yarn -tube vjournalled on said arm in a position toregister with said annular space in said container and terminating in aninclined nozzle adapted to lay the yarn in horizontal coils as it turns,driven feed rolls adapted to feed said yarn to said yarn tube at apredetermined rate, means supplying air to said nozzle to facilitate thefeeding of the yarn therefrom, and means rotating said support disc forlaying the coils of yarn in overlapping and advancing relationship inthe for-m of a helically wound layer in said container.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 having means for adjusting theaxial position of said arm on said post for thereby adjusting theposition of said yarn tube with respect to said container.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 in which said arm extends onopposite sides of said post and carries a pressure shoe in a position tobe brought into registration with the yarn package when said yarn tubeis retracted therefrom.

6. Apparatus for forming a yarn package comprising a rotatable bottommember adapted to receive said package and a central core tube disposedaxially of said bottom member, a cover member disposed around said coretube and spaced from said bottom member to form therewith an annularspace around said core tube in which the package is to be laid andhaving an opening through which the yarn is to be fed into said annularspace, said bottom member being shiftable axially relative to said covermember due to the pressure of the yarn for increasing the axial lengthof said annular space as the yarn package builds up therein and havingVmeans to maintain axial pressure on said package, means feeding saidyarn in successive loops through said opening into said annular space tobe advanced due to the rotation of said bottom member in a series ofhelically wound layers each of which is composed of a succession ofoverlapped loops.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein the yarn feed meanscomprises a rotatable nozzle having air supply ymeans to facilitate thefeeding of the yarn from said nozzle and means feeding the yarn to saidnozzle at a predetermined rate.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 in which said bottom member isprovided with upstanding pins adapted to grip the yarn as it is laidthereon from said rotating nozzle.

9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 in which said cover member ishelical in form to confor-m to the helical layers of said package and isprovided with leading and trailing ends spaced vertically to form anopening therebetween to receive said yarn loops, said trailing endincluding fingers adapted to receive said loops from said feed means andto gui-de the same into said opening.

10. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 in which said cover member ishelical in form to conform to the helical layers of said package.

11. Apparatus as set forth in claim 10 in which said helical covermember carries means for applying a dye to said yarn.

12. Apparatus as set forth in claim 10 in which said helical -covermember is formed with dye openings and means is provided for feeding adye through said openings onto said yarn.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 507,232 10/ 1893Maertens 19-66 911,297 2/1909 Dawson. 2,391,905 1/1946 Kauffmann 8-1522,404,742 7/1946 Polak et al. 19-159 2,634,596 4/ 1953 `Pendleton 68-2052,73 6,184 2/1956 Harvey 68-205 2,779,977 2/1957 Wilkie 19-66 2,842,8057/1958 Kaiser 19-159 3,000,691 9/1961 Cresswell 8-152 3,049,230 8/ 1962Van Scoy 206-64 V3,052,010 9/1962 Martin 28-21 3,053,410 9/1962 Eaddy19-159 X 3,061,088 10/1962 Buddecke 206-64 3,064,328 ll/l962 McClure etal 28-21 DONALD W, PARKER, Primary Examiner.

THERON E. CONDON, Examiner.

1. APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING YARN WHICH COMPRISES A ROTATABLE SUPPORT DISCCARRYING A CENTRAL SPINDLE, A SLEEVE KEYED TO SAID SPINDLE FOR RELATIVEAXIAL MOVEMENT WHILE ROTATING THEREWITH, A PERIPHERAL CAN WALLRELEASABLY HELD ON SAID SUPPORT DISC, A CORE TUBE CARRYING A BOTTOMMEMBER SEATED ON SAID SLEEVE AND FORMING WITH SAID PERIPHERAL CAN WALLAN ANNULAR YARN SPACE, A HELICAL COVER PLATE HAVING AN OPENING TORECEIVE YARN DISPOSED WITHIN SAID PERIPHERAL WALL, YIELDABLE MEANSHOLDING SAID CORE TUBE WITH ITS BOTTOM MEMBER IN RAISED POSITION WITHTHE BOTTOM MEMBER ADJACENT THE UNDERSIDE OF SAID PLATE, MEANS FEEDINGSAID YARN THROUGH SAID OPENING ONTO SAID BOTTOM MEMBER IN THE FORM OFOVERLAPPING AND ADVANCING COILS TO FORM A LAYER, MEANS FOR ROTATING SAIDBOTTOM MEMBER TO LAY THE